School Board Too Large, Kimbrough Contends

Criticizing the influence of politics in Chicago Public Schools, Supt. Ted Kimbrough said Friday that downsizing the 15-member school board would alleviate some of the system`s problems.

``Fifteen (board members) is too many. Too many agendas. . . . It certainly adds to the politicization,`` Kimbrough said after a taping of WMAQ- TV`s ``City Desk,`` which will air at 10 a.m. Sunday.

``It`s a problem that needs to be solved,`` he said. ``Maybe there ought to be a commission to look at that. . . . If we de-politicized it, we could use that time to help children.``

Kimbrough, who recently announced that he will not seek to renew his three-year contract when it expires June 30, said that a seven-member board would better serve the system`s 410,000 students.

He cited the Los Angeles Unified School District, which has more than 800,000 students and a seven-member board, as an example of how a smaller board can work effectively.

Kimbrough`s comments echoed the sentiments of other city leaders, including Mayor Richard Daley and Ald. Patrick O`Connor (40th), both of whom have suggested that trimming the board would make it more efficient.

The size of Chicago`s current school board was decided when the School Reform Act of 1988 was drafted. During the legislative hearings that preceded adoption of the law, parents and community leaders rallied to have 20 members- more than twice the size of the seven-member interim board-saying they needed more representation.

Others, including O`Connor, reasoned that the board would be unwieldy with more than nine people on it. The 15-member board was the compromise.

``It (shrinking the board) is something to consider,`` said Jim Williams, a spokesman for the mayor.

``It has long been my belief that the board is too big, long before Kimbrough came into the picture,`` said O`Connor, chairman of the city council`s Education Committee.

``That number of people would be burdensome for any board. The (Chicago School Board) is almost a representation system rather than the leading body it should be. You`ve got people representing different segments of the community, certain racial and ethnic groups and special-interest groups within those groups.``

``At this point,`` O`Connor said. ``I think that reducing the size is not only feasible, but necessary.``